Mammalogy

Spring 1997

Final Exam

I. Multiple choice. Chose the single best answer (3 points each).

  1. The condition of having overlap between the fields of vision of the right and left eyes is called
    a. binocular vision
    b. stereoscopic vision
    c. both of the above
    d. none of the above
  2. Vampire bats produce ____________ while feeding and ____________ later in the roost.
    a. Small quantities of concentrated urine; Large quantities of dilute urine
    b. Large quantities of concentrated urine; Small quantities of dilute urine
    c. Small quantities of dilute urine; Large quantities of concentrated urine
    d. Large quantities of dilute urine; Small quantities of concentrated urine
  3. Hyrax get a good grip on trees and rocks using
    a. Suction pads on their palms and soles
    b. Prehensile tails
    c. Long, curved claws
    d. Long, sticky tongue
  4. Name two orders that shed cheek teeth from front to back.
    a. Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla
    b. Proboscidea, Sirenia
    c. Proboscidea, Hyracoidea
    d. Proboscidea, Tubulidentata
  5. Unique faunal characteristics of Madagascar include: (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. Low diversity of taxa
    b. Primitive characteristics
    c. Incomplete exploitation of habitat
    d. All of the above
  6. In terms of faunal interchange, a _______________ allows mammals to move freely between areas, whereas a ______________ is the result of a freak occurrence:(NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. Filter route, sweepstakes route
    b. Corridor, filter route
    c. Migration, filter route
    d. Corridor, sweepstakes route
  7. The Bering land bridge allowed for faunal interchange between which regions? (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. Nearctic & neotropical
    b. Palearctic & ethiopian
    c. Palearctic & nearctic
    d. Oriental & ethiopian
  8. Name two ways in which marine mammals regulate water:
    a. drink salt water, produce hypotonic urine
    b. eat teleost fish, produce hypertonic urine
    c. eat teleost fish, produce isotonic urine
    d. eat invertebrates, produce hypotonic urine
  9. In order to maximize water intake, hygroscopic plants should be consumed:
    a. At dawn or dusk
    b. During the middle of the day
    c. At night
    d. Time of day is irrelevant
  10. Counter current heat exchange involves:
    a. Transfer of heat from the surface of the skin to blood in capillaries
    b. Transfer of heat from blood going to the extremities to blood coming back from extremities
    c. Transfer of heat from blood vessels to the nasal mucosa
    d. Transfer of heat from blood going to the heart to blood going to the extremities
  11. Grooming serves to:
    a. create or strengthen social bonds
    b. remove parasites
    c. make the fur water resistant
    d. all of the above
  12. Territories differ from home ranges in that:
    a. territories are always permanent
    b. territories are used for all for all of the animalŐs daily activities
    c. territories are always larger than home ranges
    d. none of the above
  13. Experiments have shown that biological rhythms are:
    a. completely exogenous
    b. completely endogenous
    c. exogenous but fine tuned by physiological events
    d. endogenous but find tuned by environmental stimuli
  14. For a behavior to be considered an act of communication: (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. the signal must be specially designed
    b. the reactor must be present
    c. the reactor must show a behavioral response
    d. more than one of the above
  15. Which of the following is NOT a tonic visual signal? (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. redness of anogenital area of female baboons
    b. the silverback of a mature male gorilla
    c. the song of a mockingbird
    d. all of the above are tonic
  16. A signal which works well at night and doesnŐt require the presence of the sender is probably a ___________ signal. (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. auditory
    b. chemical
    c. visual
    d. tactile
  17. Social organization usually refers to __________________ whereas mating system refers to _____________. (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. numbers of each age & sex in the group; number of mates males and females have in the group
    b. numbers of females and offspring in the group; number of breeding males in the group
    c. presence/absence of a dominance hierarchy; number of mates males and females have in the group.
    d. number of mating pairs in the group; how many reproductive events occur/year
  18. By definition eusociality requires:
    a. presence of non-reproductive castes
    b. unrelated group members
    c. equal sharing of tasks among all individuals
    d. asexual reproduction
  19. In some cases it is better to rear othersŐ offspring instead of breeding yourself because: (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. parental experience makes you a better parent
    b. you can increase your inclusive fitness by helping rear related individuals
    c. you may eventually inherit the breeding position in the group
    d. all of the above
  20. Which order of North American mammals suffers from the most types of threats? (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. rodentia
    b. artiodactyla
    c. cetacea
    d. carnivora
  21. As sex ratio distortion from 50/50 increases, effective population size: (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
    a. increases
    b. stays the same
    c. decreases
    d. all of the above are possible
  22. Which of the following is/are behavioral adaptations for keeping body temperature high?
    a. Shivering
    b. Huddling
    c. Hyperthermia
    d. More than one of the above

II. Matching. Match the taxanomic group with the most appropriate characteristic. Each answer should be used only once (20 points).

NOTE: THIS YEAR, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR THE FAMILY NAMES LISTED IN WEBCT.
  1. Antilocapridae
  2. Bathyergydae
  3. Soricidae
  4. Proboscidea
  5. Indriidae
  6. Sirenia
  7. Leporidae
  8. Microchiroptera
  9. Tapiridae
  10. Camelidae

___ largest living land mammal

___ the only eusocial vertebrate

___ eats aquatic vegetation

___ echolocates

___ outer sheath of horn shed annually

___ kills prey with venom

___ moves by verticle clinging and leaping

___ upper lip flexible and lengthened into snout

___ fenestrated skull

___ undergoes daily hyperthermia

III. Short answer.

  1. Describe three anatomical specializations associated with feeding on ants or termites and name three mammals from different orders that show these traits (give common names and orders).
  2. Describe two different strategies of predator avoidance, explain what habitats they would be most effective in, and give an example of a species that uses each one (common name and order).
  3. Distinguish between the anatomical specializations for processing plant matter in the Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla. Under what ecological conditions might each order have a competitive advantage and why?
  4. Describe the role of zoos in mammalian conservation efforts. Which are more cost-effective, zoos or parks? (NOT COVERED THIS YEAR)
  5. How does being nocturnal help a desert mammal maintain its body temperature and conserve water?
  6. Name four different orders that show syndactyly. For each, give the type of locomotion exhibited.
  7. . Write and answer correctly your own question (up to 5 points). The question must not have been asked on the first two exams.